1. Field of the Present Invention
The present invention is in the field of power supplies for data processing systems and more particularly the housings in which such power supplies are enclosed.
2. History of Related Art
Data processing systems including desktop computers, server systems, and so forth, require power supplies to provide a source of DC voltage to the system components. The different configurations of different systems have, in the past, forced system manufacturers to use unique power supplies for each system. Specifically, the different mechanical specifications and air flow requirements of different systems require unique power supply configurations, even in cases where the electrical requirements of different systems are the same. In such cases, manufacturers tend to produce or procure a unique power supply configuration for each of the various mechanical specifications and air flow requirements. Alternatively, manufacturers may attempt to conform the dimensions and other mechanical features of a given system to a particular power supply configuration. Both of these alternatives have significant drawbacks including increased costs, increased design time, and mechanical designs that are potentially less than optimal. It would be desirable, therefore, to implement a mechanism that enabled system manufacturers to conform a single power supply to multiple system configurations without compromising the mechanical or thermal characteristics of the system.